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With each passing moment this off-season, the itch to watch Philadelphia 76ers basketball has been there. That may be a crazy sentence to read for a lot of Philadelphia sports fans, but it's the truth. With the Phillies mired in a difficult season and the Flyers coming up short in the second round against New Jersey in the playoffs, and an Eagles season still a bit off in the distance, the focus over the coming weeks will turn to the Philadelphia 76ers. Yes, the same 76ers that have had little chance to win anything since Allen Iverson was here have been brought back to relevancy, mostly due in part to the work of coach Doug Collins.

Now, the Sixers are faced with an interesting situation: how will they re-organize the front office? I think the choice has become clear over recent weeks. The Sixers, by all accounts, are trying to find the nicest way for Rod Thorn to have the door hit him on the way out, which can be tough for someone with the pride of Thorn to take. However, when Ed Snider sold the 76ers to Adam Aron, Josh Harris, and the rest of the new ownership group, Thorn was fortunate enough to keep his title as president and general manager. In their first season as Sixers owners, Aron and Harris were able to reinvigorate a fanbase that has been non-existent for the past decade or so. Yes, there were some exciting times in the middle part of the 2000s, particularly the day the team acquired Chris Webber, but we all know how that one panned out. Iverson moved on, and the team was left in shambles. They hired a coach in Eddie Jordan who had no business being near an NBA basketball court, and everyone was about ready to give up on this franchise.

That leaves us with this. Doug Collins has brought the 76ers to the playoffs for the past two seasons, and while the team does not appear ready to compete with the Miami Heat, they can be a force in the Eastern Conference for years to come with the right tinkering here and there. Hey, they even pushed the Boston Celtics to 7 games in the Eastern Conference Semis before being eliminated. Yes, the Chicago Bulls were the Sixers' first round victim, and yes, they were without the services of Derrick Rose for the last five games of the series, but the Celtics are getting older, and the 76ers appear ready to hit their stride, alongside the Indiana Pacers. It wouldn't shock anybody if the top four teams in the East next year were Miami, Chicago, Indiana, and Philadelphia, in some sort of order.

What the Sixers need now is a clear vision of how to move forward. They appear to be moving towards something, although nobody seems to know what it is, besides the rumors and reports we have heard.

Here is what we do know. Danny Ferry has interviewed with the 76ers and may become the team's general manager. Ferry was last a general manager with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and may be best known now for not being able to get LeBron James a championship, but that's not entirely Ferry's fault. He has made some good moves. Harris and Aron believe deeply in Collins, and trust him on a lot of subjects. Collins is still the team's coach, but wants more power, according to sources. So, where do the 76ers proceed from here?

They should give Collins the power he wants. He seems to have an encyclopedic knowledge of the game, and that will likely be on display when he broadcasts for the 2012 Olympics. It's always evident when he is in his happy place, which is the post-game press conference, breaking down the game for everyone in a fresh and new way each and every night out. Getting back into coaching has allowed him to see the game he has seen in the past with Chicago, Washington, and Detroit. People have also said that Collins seems to wear out his welcome quickly, and leaves a mess behind after players turn on him. I truly believe that's why Collins needs to be in control of both the team on the court and the team off the court. It may be rare, but Collins can do it. Ferry can be hired as general manager, but Collins will have plenty of say. That's the way it should be. Collins has earned my trust and respect, and he deserves a chance to lead the team that drafted him all the way back to the top of the mountain.

It may not be popular to some fans, but it really seems like the right thing to do. In the next few days, we should know more about where the 76ers are going with their future. Right now, at best guess, it appears Collins will be the head coach, Ferry will be the GM, and Thorn will be the president. After this season, Collins may move to the president position and the team may look for a new head man, who very likely could be Michael Curry, the team's defensive guru and current associate head coach. Plenty of rumors are out there, but Sixers fans just want some answers.

It's very hard to see from here where this team is going right now, but Collins needs some more power. After all, he's earned it. He brought the team back to the spotlight in Philadelphia, and with one of the biggest off-seasons in franchise history ahead, he will have plenty of input on what moves the team will make.

Sure, Collins could run this team into the ground. He could also help lead them to a title. Either way, Doug Collins will play an integral part in this team's future.

Sources: Yahoo! Sports/Adrian Wojnarowski, CSNPhilly.com

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Philadelphia 76ers Must Give Doug Collins Control: Fan's View